Advice for Monday

[SVTSophie]

Hi All, I'm just after some advice as I'm seeing a new Cardiologist on Monday after I collapsed at work in November to be told my SVT was back after my second failed ablation back in November 2014. Since then I have been put on; x4 Verapamil and x2 Ivabradine daily and they don't seem to help at all. After reading some articles posted on here, I have seen one that mentions AFIB can cause the heart to become enlarged, I've only had one ultrasound done before my diagnosis. Should I ask for another one to be done? Also, I'm wondering if the SVT could in fact be Angina as I suffer from a lot of symptoms/chest pains without having palpitations but have never been tested, should I inquire about this also? Sorry to ramble on, I'm just trying to think as much as possible to ask as this is a new Cardiologist and not entirely sure what the next suggested course of action would be. Thank you x

[Dee1989]

Hi Sophie! Best of luck for Monday, def ask the cardiologist all of these questions as he will be able to answer them. I also get chest pains sometimes especially between episodes of SVT. Did I tell you that mine is is in the right and left chambers which makes it more similar to AF in terms of ablation but still comes under Atrial tachycardia as a diagnosis. My diagnosis has changed 3 times depending on what that found at the time. Mine didn't want give a lot away in the beginning. I was initially diagnosed with AVNRT then SVT now ATRIAL TACHYCARDIA (which is still a form of SVT just more complex.) Therfore I think it is always worth checking things again and again. Like you I have only have ever had the one ultrasound at the very beginning. So it may be worth asking?

How are u feeling now xx

[PeterWh]

Was typing the response a bit back but iPad locked just as I got to almost the end!!! You certainly didn't ramble on and actually your post is quite short overall !!!

If you mentioned in a previous post which hospital you went to previously or which one you are going to now I don't remember. However if both are the same then the new consultant will have access to previous records and ultrasound. If the hospitals are different or if you had the done privately then firstly phone your new consultant's secretary and ask for her fax number. Secondly phone the old hospital (heart imaging department) today and thirdly also phone your old consultant's secretary (ie both) to get a copy of the report faxed to new consultant. At least that will be a good starting point.

Sometimes the actual images themselves can be transferred if the two hospitals use the same scanner but this will usually take longer unless you went privately in which case depending on type this may be able to be done in time (I did this for MRI of foot and ankle which was done privately at a Spire hospital where they put it on to a CD that could be read on a standard "Windows PC" and I collected CD an hour later.

Not sure what type of imaging you had done. Was it an Echocardiogram (uses a hand half scanner) or was it a MRI (body goes into a "ring" scanner?

I would have thought that you will get an ECG and also echocardiogram done by new consultant. If they don't say anything then ask for an echo (but best to let them offer first). They may also say about a heart MRI which is more extensive.

I certainly had that done immediately afterwards for my AF when I saw consultant first time (that was privately). Now I am under same EP Consultant and also heart valve consultant (at the same NHS hospital) and I have an echocardiogram each time I have a consultation but that may be because they are wanting to see the changes in the heart. I have had one ablation but went back into AF (as was predicted in MY case) less than 72 hours later.

Also if you have your discharge notes from your two ablations, previous ECGs and all other correspondence then get a photocopy and hand that to the consultant (if you have one a plastic wallet with two metal or plastic studs to keep it all together in the right date order). You probably have already done this but also take along a COPY of written log of key dates / events (keep original) including consultation dates, ablation dates, test dates, etc.

Hope all goes well and that you are not feeling too bad.

[SVTSophie in reply to PeterWh]

Hi Peter,

The cardiologist I'm seeing Monday is still in the same hospital as my old one and luckily enough they share the same PA, so i'm hoping that notes/files/ECG reading will all be fairly accessible to him (Not gone private, still just an NHS outpatient).

As for the scan it must have been an Eco-cardiogram as it was only a nurse with some gel and a screen!

After my collapse in November, I had another 24 hour ECG monitor done and I'm supposed to be discussing the results with him then.

Thanks for the idea of the discharge summary as well, as even though the cardiologists work in the same hospital (Basingstoke) I had my two ablations in London and currently still hold the discharge papers still. I'm just really hoping he has all my files and notes from over the years and can point me in the right direction. He won't necessarily be my new cardiologist but have requested him just for a second opinion as I don't think my current cardiologist is very erm.. prepared or sensitive towards anything when I see him..

[Devine75]

So sorry to hear your svt is back!! I'm post second ablation for svt too hoping this one has worked. How long before you knew it had failed the second time? X

[SVTSophie in reply to Devine75]

Hi Devine75. Wishing you all the best with your second ablation holding out! It was a year before I knew it had failed, everything had been perfect up until then! x

[Devine75 in reply to SVTSophie]

Wow a year! Is it in the same place as before? My first ablation sept 2015 was for svt the second in November 2015 was for vt. My doc said that if svt had not reared its head after two weeks it was unlikely it would return. You prove that wrong! It's a worry for sure! Mine was right ventricle! I hope you get sorted real soon!! Keep us posted xx

[SVTSophie in reply to Devine75]

No, The first one I had was in the lower chambers to correct the irregular beats and my last one was near my sinus node to correct the pace (too fast!). So not really sure what is going on!! Hoping for answers today with the new cardiologist at 2pm! xx

[Devine75 in reply to SVTSophie]

Good luck let's hope they have a better idea what's going on and how to fix it once and for all!! Xx

[SVTSophie in reply to Devine75]

Thank you I will keep you updated xx